My biggest challenge: Making myself stick to a goal I know I don't have to keep. In my day-to-day life, I know it'd be the healthier choice to eat less chocolate and more green veggies, but c'mon. A little chocolate here and there doesn't hurt, right? Still, it adds up, I know. And the thing is, and this is probably the main thing: It's never just "a little" chocolate.

My biggest temptation to cheat: If I walk by some cookies or other sweets someone has laid out at work, I'll think two things: an adamant "No, you shouldn't eat that," and a sly "Well, but you could. How much difference does one (more) chocolate chip cookie make?" It's so easy to graze—especially during the holidays—and lose track of how much I've actually eaten already. Plus, popping out to the store across the street for some candy makes a nice midday break from the computer.

Coping mechanisms: Going public with a "no chocolate" bet actually eliminates a lot of my internal tug-of-war. Giving up chocolate's a cinch when my honor is at stake! (In my head I keep hearing "No chocolate for you!" in a Soup Nazi accent too.) On a more serious note, I plan to stay fueled with a healthy breakfast, lunch, and dinner so I'm never so famished that reaching for a chocolate bar is the easiest way to stave off hunger pangs.

Today I feel: Fine ... maybe a little sheepish for scarfing the last of my chocolate stores yesterday, Mardi Gras–style. I can't have that stuff staring me in the face this week.